Is it mandatory to show the boarding pass at a duty free shop in the UK?
Recently, I was buying a phone charger at a duty free shop in an UK airport. At the till, I was asked to show my boarding pass. A passenger who was waiting behind me started arguing that it was not mandatory to show my boarding pass as the retailer charges the same price as on the high street but claims the VAT back by scanning my boarding pass.
So is this true: is showing the boarding pass in duty free shops at UK airports not mandatory anymore?
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Do you buy duty free on departure or arrival UK?
These duty-free items can only be purchased when departing from a country or when crossing into another territory. They are for export only and must be taken out of the country where they are purchased. Therefore, if you buy something in a duty free shop, you're not paying taxes on it in the country you purchased it.How does duty-free shop work?
The "duty" in duty-free refers to taxes. The duty-free shop is allowed to sell their materials exempt from various national and local taxes on the condition that the goods will be taken out of the country by international travelers. In the absence of taxes, duty-free shops are able to offer lower prices on their goods.Can you buy from duty free when travelling within the UK?
No. UK domestic legislation prevents duty free being extended to domestic travellers, so passengers must be leaving the UK in order to be able to purchase goods for their own personal use free of duty and taxes.Can you buy duty free when you arrive?
Some countries allow arriving international travelers to use duty-free shops before leaving the airport, but the U.S. does not. Returning U.S. travelers can buy duty-free only at foreign departure airports.Airport shops ask to see boarding passes only to avoid paying 20% VAT
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